Redland City Council has adopted a major amendment to its City Plan to facilitate the delivery of higher quality apartment and townhouse developments.
Mayor Jos Mitchell said the amendment, adopted at today’s General Meeting, assists to ensure medium-density developments reflected the city’s character while providing greater housing diversity for a growing population.
“This is the result of a great deal of consultation following the adoption of the previous City Plan in 2018,” Mayor Mitchell said.
“Implementing these changes will help ensure City Plan remains current and aligns with community expectations around maintaining the quality of life and amenity on Redlands Coast.
“A greater diversity of housing options, including multiple dwellings located close to centres and public transport, is important to manage expected population growth.
“This diversity also helps meet the changing housing and lifestyle needs of the community by providing greater housing choice.”
Key changes to be implemented as part of the amendment to the Medium Density Residential Zone Code within City Plan include:
- Reduction in nominated maximum site cover (from 75 per cent to maximum 55 per cent) to ensure site cover provides sufficient area to achieve other design outcomes, including boundary and frontage setbacks, private and communal open space, residential amenity and landscaping
- Clarification of side, front and rear boundary setback requirements
- Enhanced landscaping provisions seeking deep planting areas to support the retention or establishment of significant trees
- The existing communal open space trigger of 20 or more dwellings has been maintained for townhouses, but reduced to 10 dwellings for apartments
- New assessment criteria for developments of five or more apartments to provide a mix of dwelling sizes in terms of number of bedrooms
- Multiple dwelling building walls are to incorporate design variation and articulation to reduce building bulk and scale.
- New maximum building storeys and height table
- Resident car parking provided at ground level is to be contained within the building footprint and landscaped/screened from view from the street, public spaces and adjoining properties
- The waste and recycling storage area is to be contained in the building footprint and not visible from the street or public spaces
- Amended provisions to support the freehold titling of townhouse developments.
Planning and Regulation Portfolio representative Cr Rowanne McKenzie said the amendments aligned with one of the strategic goals, Liveable Neighbourhoods, outlined in Council’s Corporate Plan, Our Future Redlands – A Corporate Plan to 2026 and Beyond.
“This includes sustainably managing growth and quality development in the city through planning, implementation and management of City Plan,” Cr McKenzie said.
“Council is also committed to enhancing the unique character and liveability of our city for the community through coordinated planning.”